Trump intends to impose import tariffs on 150 small countries

President Donald Trump announced on July 16 that his administration plans to send a single letter to more than 150 countries detailing the tariff rate they will face as part of a sweeping overhaul of U.S. trade policy.

“It’s all going to be the same for everyone, for that group,” Trump said during a meeting with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the White House. “They’re not big countries, and they don’t do that much business. Not like the ones we’ve agreed with, like China, like Japan”, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Since April, the United States has imposed an additional baseline tariff of 10 per cent on imports. While Trump has previously floated the idea of raising this rate to between 15 and 20 per cent, he declined to confirm a new figure during his remarks.

The White House has already issued letters to around two dozen key trading partners—including the European Union, Japan, and South Korea—outlining the specific tariff rates they will face starting August 1. This has triggered a flurry of last-minute negotiations, as affected countries seek to secure more favourable terms before the deadline.

Still, uncertainty remains over whether the tariff increases will actually take effect on August 1, amid concerns over potential economic fallout and the impact on Trump’s political standing.

Among the countries that have not yet received formal notification but exceed the 3 per cent threshold of the U.S. trade deficit in 2024 are Taiwan, Switzerland, and India.

Trump offered conflicting signals about the state of talks with New Delhi. “We have another [deal] coming up, maybe with India. I don’t know. We’re in a negotiation,” he said at one point, before adding, “We’re very close to a deal with India, where they open up.”

On Japan, another major trading partner, Trump suggested a more confrontational approach may prevail. “I think we’ll probably live by the letter with Japan,” he said, referencing the official tariff notice already sent. The administration has previously threatened Japan with a 25 per cent tariff if a bilateral agreement is not reached.

By Vugar Khalilov